The invention relates to a low-pressure discharge lamp comprising a light-transmissive discharge vessel which encloses a discharge space with an ionizable filling in a gastight manner, which filling contains an evaporable component, and means for maintaining an electric discharge in the discharge space. A carrier with a resilient body is clamped inside a tube which is in communication with the discharge space, the carrier being suitable for containing the evaporable component.
The invention also relates to a method of manufacturing a low-pressure discharge lamp.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,262,231 discloses an electrodeless low-pressure mercury discharge lamp in which means for maintaining an electric discharge are formed by a torus-shaped coil in the discharge space. The ionizable filling contains mercury and a noble gas such as argon. In the known lamp, the carrier is embodied so as to be a rolled-up gauze which is moistened with an amalgam of mercury with an alloy such as PbBiSn. The tube in which the carrier is clamped is used, in the manufacture of the lamp, as an exhaust tube through which the discharge vessel is evacuated and filled. In the manufacture of the lamp, the rolled-up gauze, which also forms a resilient body, is inserted into the tube. This has the disadvantage that during inserting the gauze into the tube, scratches may be formed in said tube, which may lead to fracture.